Mistake!
The other day I received an email indicating that I had made a mistake in identifying the book Crusade in Europe, by Dwight D. Eisenhower, featured on the “Cool as Ike” episode of Pawn Stars. Dutifully, I went back to double check my notes. All was well there. So I watched the segment again. And all was not well…
During the segment I said you could tell it was a first edition because there was no mention of additional printings on the copyright page. This statement is not true.
Earlier on that same day of filming, I was researching another book for which no mention of additional printings does indeed mean that it’s a first. When the cameras were on, I accidentally mixed up the two books.
The Eisenhower book was simply a signed later printing—not a first printing, as implied by what I said. In summary:
This error does not change the value of the book in any way. The price I gave is still accurate, unrelated to my bibliographic mistake. Only the book’s status as a first printing needs to be revised.
This was a mix up on my part as I was up in front of the cameras. I’m not a professional actor and I misspoke.
I can’t change what’s been aired, but I can do my best to ensure that the error is not repeated. A true first edition, first printing of the trade edition of Crusade in Europe will read as follows on the copyright page: “First edition after the printing of a limited edition of one thousand four hundred and twenty-six numbered copies, signed by the author.”
Sorry, folks. I’ll be careful in the future not to research unrelated bibliographies right before filming!
First published 6 September 2012.
